Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas of Myra (15 March 270-6 December 342) was the Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor during the 4th century AD. He became a legend for his secret gift-giving to the children of his city, giving rise to the myth of "Santa Claus" (nicknamed "Saint Nick").

Biography
Nicholas was born in Patara, Lycia, Roman Empire on 15 March 270, coming from a family of wealthy Greek Christians. His uncle served as Bishop of Myra, and, realizing Nicholas' calling, his uncle ordained him as a priest. After his parents died, Nicholas distributed their wealth to the poor. One day, he heard of a devout man who had lost all of his wealth, rendering him unable to come up with dowries for his three daughters (who would likely be forced to become prostitutes). Being too modest to give them money in public, and hoping to spare them the humiliation of accepting charity, Nicholas secretly dropped off purses of money at their home, and this secret gift-giving gave rise to the legend of "Saint Nick", later known as "Santa Claus". After Nicholas' uncle died, the priests in the city of Myra decided that the first priest to enter the church would become the new bishop, and, when Nicholas entered the church in Myra to pray, he was proclaimed bishop. He was imprisoned and tortured under Diocletian, but he was released under Constantine the Great. Nicholas went on to save three innocent men from execution by a corrupt governor, an often-repeated story. In 325 AD, he attended the First Council of Nicaea, where he was noted for his generosity to the poor and to children, and for his strong opposition to Arianism. He resurrected three children who had been chopped up by a butcher who sought to sell them as pork during a famine, performing the sign of the cross to put them back together and revive them. He died i n Myra in 342 at the age of 72.